RE: Rotary Gap Construction?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "David Kyle by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dave-at-kyleusa-dot-com>

Hi Matt,

As a newbie myself I can agree that the SRSG was the most complex piece
of the design. I spent a lot of time looking at the sites on the Tesla
list and ring and seeing how others had built their SRSG. I got a lot of
inspiration from John's site: http://hometown.aol-dot-com/futuret/page3.html

You can see my work in progress here:
http://home.austin.rr-dot-com/dkyle/tesla_gallery.htm

I bought my synchronous motor at C and H Sales in Pasadena, CA; Stock
#ACM2200 $39.95 http://www.aaaim-dot-com/CandH/index.htm

My SRGS was built with two 7 inch Tungsten rods cut up into 8 pieces.
Since these come in a standard packet of ten, I would be happy to sell
some of the extra 7 inch pieces of 3/16 inch Lanthanated Tungsten
(non-radioactive) for $10 a piece + $3 shipping. Contact me off list if
interested.

Good Luck,
Dave


=========================================
Dave Kyle
Austin, TX USA
Email: dave-at-kyleusa-dot-com


-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 6:16 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Rotary Gap Construction?

Original poster: "Matt Woody Meyer by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <meyerml-at-stolaf.edu>

Hello hello,
	My last coil used a static spark gap with marginal results at
best, so I'm
planning out a means of building a rotary gap.  Since many of you seem
to be
experts in construction, I was wondering if anybody would mind throwing
in a
few engineering suggestions.  I'm open to anything, and have a
substantial
budget to work with.  I'm looking around for 2400-4800rpm variable
motors
(most of them I can just control the angular velocity with a variac,
right),
I'm assuming that this should be enough if I have about 6-8
presentations
every rotation.

What I'm having difficulty with, as of now is:
1) My idea calls for using a conductive circle with bolts attached as
the
electrodes.  I would then have two stationary electrodes (one at the
9:00
and one at the 3:00 position).  The problem I see in this is that the
charge, as it passes through the metal disc, will also partially hit the
motor.  This is bad.  Is there a way to, say, using electrical tape,
wrap
the circle around the center with tape, or would this not work?

2) This would be slightly more complicated, but I suppose I could use a
belt, run off the motor and connected to the electrode plate, thus the
motor
would be insulated from the electrode plate.

3) I'm also worried about the heat from the sparks melting the bolts...
I
don't think those viewing the demonstration would appreciate a "hot
dross
bath"... is there something (like tungsten?) that I should coat the
electrodes in?

As of now, I'm looking at the following for my setup:
a combination of the following transformers:
One 15kV 60mA neon
Two or three 12kV 30mA neons
Combination of the above... suggestions welcome here too.
Everything through a 20A 0-120V variac.

2 .018uf capacitors (in parallel)
12 turn flat primary spaced 1/2"
8" x 32" secondary, 24AWG topped with a 14x4 aluminum toroid (may build
a
larger toroid).

The circuit is in the simplest design... Vac through primary transformer
in
parallel with main spark gap. (two chokes to protect transformer).  Tank
circuit standard.

Thanks much, I'm still fairly new to coil construction, so I apologize
in
advance for my ignorance :).  Strangely enough, none of the professors
here
have had much HV experience, so I'm more or less on my own with this
project.

><>Matt Meyer
meyerml-at-stolaf.edu

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Matt "Woody" Meyer         Ellingson 120       507-646-2883 (CUTE)

St. Olaf College Physics Major
St. Olaf Admissions Tour Co-Coordinator
2001-2002 Ellingson Hall Residence Life Junior Counselor

"Physics is like sex. Sure, there's some practical application,
but that's not why we do it."   -Anonymous

"Photons have mass?  I didn't even know they were catholic!"
-Coolsig-dot-com

"Friends are God's way of taking care of us.
I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay"
-  Dave Matthews
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